An aerial rope tramway

ABSTRACT

An aerial rope tramway for a ski tow and having a cable grip clamp arrangement wherein the arrangement includes a fixed outer jaw member connected with the ski lift chair hanger bar and an inner movable jaw member and a spring cartridge within the arrangement between the fixed and movable jaws for urging the movable jaw toward the fixed jaw for tight engagement of the clamp arrangement about the cable, the cartridge including a plurality of pairs of opposed Belleville spring washers. A further feature is to provide for a flat generally vertical shoulder on the fixed jaw for engagement with a generally flat vertical surface of the bull wheel liner to prevent the ski lift chair from swinging outward by centrifugal force as it comes around the bull wheel. A further feature is to provide for a spring washer installed in the outer barrel portion of the fixed jaw member for engagement with the chair clamp that is disposed peripherally about the barrel portion of the fixed jaw member to exert pressure against the end of the chair clamp in order to prevent swinging of the chair back and forth, in the line of the cable.

United States Patent [191 Berry et al.

[ NOV. 26, 1974 AN AERIAL ROPE TRAMWAY [75] Inventors: Walter V. Berry,Pittsburgh; Paul J.

Hunziker, Zelienople, both of Pa.

[73] Assignee: Pullman Incorporated, Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filed: May 14, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 359,812

Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 174,754, Aug. 25,1971, Pat. No.

[52] US. Cl 104/223, 74/230.7, 74/230.9, 104/173, 104/197, 104/202,104/216 [51] Int. Cl B61b 7/20 [58] Field of Search 104/173 R, 173 ST,182,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,391,650 7/1968 Goforth eta1. 104/173 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,147,252 4/1963 Germany104/200 Primary ExaminerLloyd L. King Assistant Examiner-Randolph A.Reese Attorney, Agent, or FirmRichard .1. Myers; Hilmond O. Vogel [5 7]ABSTRACT A'n aerial rope tramway for a ski tow and having a cable gripclamp arrangement wherein the arrangement includes a fixed outer jawmember connected withthe ski lift chair hanger bar and an inner movablejaw member and a spring cartridge within the arrangement between thefixed and movable jaws for urging the movable jaw toward the fixed jawfor tight engagement of the clamp arrangement about the cable, thecartridge including a plurality of pairs of opposed Belleville springwashers. A further feature is to provide for a flat generally verticalshoulder on the fixed jaw for engagement with a generally flat verticalsurface of the bull wheel liner to prevent the ski lift chair fromswinging outw'ard by centrifugal force as it comes around the bullwheel. A further feature is to provide for a spring washer installed inthe outer barrel portion of the fixed jaw member for engagement with thechair clamp that is disposed peripherally about the barrel portion ofthe fixed jaw member to exert pressure against the end of the chairclamp in order to prevent swinging of the chair back and forth, in theline of the cable.

3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PAnimmvz 3.850.110

SHEET 10F- 2 FIG.2

AN AERIAL ROPE TRAMWAY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of theInvention The field of art to which this invention pertains is in theski tow arrangements such as chair lifts, rope tows, T-bar, gondolas,aerial tramways and mono-cables and in particular relates to an aerialrope tramway having a clamp arrangement for attaching the hanger bar tothe cable or tow line.

2. Description of the Prior Art The clamp arrangement is the most vitalcomponent of a snow ski tow system because the safety and success of theentire system is dependent upon the quality of the clamping device.Slippage of the cable through the clamp could create serious accidents.In order to eliminate the danger of slippage and to compensate forvariations in cable thickness, loss of friction between clamp and cableand changes in tension or temperature and,

further, to provide a breathing between the multistrand cable and thecable clamp, it is customary to provide Belleville type spring discwashers inserted between the spindle and the clamp. Proper installationrequires that in assembly every other spring washer be reversed. Onoccasion, reversal of the spring washers was inadvertently not followedand such nesting arrangement caused failure of the clamp, causing theski chair to slip back down the cable and causing injury to theoccupants of the ski chair. The following disclosed novel and inventivearrangement obviates this difficulty and danger.

SUMMARY The present invention relates tocable grips for aerial ropetramways such as ski tows and chair lifts. It is a prime object of thisinvention to design a sealed cartridge into which these Bellevillespring washers are correctly assembled which removes the necessity of assembly on the job and prevents the possibility of incorrect assemblythat can create accidents and wherein this sealed cartridge can then beinserted into a cable clamping device or arrangement after whichpressure on the cable is applied by loadingthe Belleville spring washersuntil the desired force is applied on the clamping arrangement forholding the clamping arrangement fixed about the cable or tow linewhereby an attached ski chair or the like by way of the clampingarrangement is prevented from slipping downhill.

Another object of the invention is to provide for an inspection windowon each side of the sealed cartridge so that the Belleville springs canbe visually assembled.

' need for guard rails which create wear on the chair lift componentsand thereby resulting in ultimate failure and a possible injuryaccident.

Still another object of this invention is to provide for a spring meansinstalled in the barrel of the fixed clamp part of the cable clamparrangement for urging the chair clamp part into engagement with thefixed clamp to prevent swinging of the chair back and forth in line withthe cable whereby stability is added to the chair, particularly in thepresence of high wind.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view of a snow skioraerial rope tramway in the form of a chair lift;

FIG. 2 is a transverse view across the tow line and illustrating asupporting sheave at one of several towers and the clamp arrangement andchair hanger bar;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view through a clamping arrangement and thehorizontal bull wheel situated at one of two terminal stations;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view through a springcontaining cartridge ofthe instant invention;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view illustrating the elongated side of thecartridge; and

FIG. 6 is an end view of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The invention presented hererelates to improvements in cable grips for aerial tramways, chair liftsand T-bars operating with monocables. A number of such cable grips arefixed to a continuously operating cable and at short distances fromanother, such distances being determined by the number of passengers theoperator wishes to transport per hour. Passengers can be seated inchairs (whether designed for one, two or four passengers), in gondolas,or the passengers can be towed with T-bars. Lifts of this type run oncables which pass over numerous supporting sheaves fixed on severaltowers. The sheaves guide the continuously running operating cable andthe aforementioned cable grips, which in turn carry chairs, gondolas orT-bars on a hanger. A horizontal wheel is situated in each of the twoterminal stations which guides the continuously operating cable aroundto proceed back in the opposite direction. One of these wheels is joinedto a power unit.

The particular inventive arrangement disclosed herebelow involvesspring-loaded inner and outer cable clamp members as, for instance,shown in the prior art by U.S. Pats. No. 3,416,462 and 3,420,189.

With reference to the drawings and, in particular with reference to FIG.1, there is shown a view of a snow ski or aerial rope tramway in theform of a chair lift arrangement 1 which includes the continuous cableor tow line 2, the clamp arrangement 3 and the chair 4. FIG. 2 shows anenlarged view of the cable 2 and the clamp arrangement 3 extending andengaging with the supporting sheave 5 which is located at one of thetowers. FIG. 3 shows the engagement of the outer or fixed clamp or jawmember 6 with the bull wheel resilient liner 7 received in the bullwheel U-shaped flange structure 8 of the bull wheel 9. In addition tothe outer fixed clamp or jaw member 6, the clamp arrangement 3 alsoincludes the inner movable clamp or jaw member 10. The outer fixed jaw 6has a U-shaped jaw end arm lla which has a liner engaging portion 11bwhich has an outer shoulder or surface 11 that is generally vertical andhas an upper or generally horizontal surface 12 that is sloped and iscontinuous with the shoulder 11 to form a knuckle which is set in recess13 of the bull wheel liner 7. The recess 13 is formed with complementalsurfaces 14 and 15 which cooperate with the shoulder 11 and surface 12to form a seat for the outer end 11b of the outer jaw member 6. Theliner engaging knuckle of the fixed jaw 6 has an arcuate inner portion16 that engagingly encompasses little more than onehalf of cable or towline 2. The movable jaw member 10 has an outer arm portion 18 extendingbetween the U-shaped jaw end arm 11a and having an outer arcuate orconcave portion 19 that engages about a'remaining third of the cable 2.The movable jaw member 10 has an inner shaft portion 20 fixed to theouter portion 18 and slidably received in bore 22 of the tube or sleeve23 of the barrel 21 of the fixed jaw member 6. A bronze bushing orsleeve bearing 24 surrounds the sleeve 23 and an annular tubular chairclamp 25 surrounds the bushing 24. The clamp 25 is connected to thechair 4 by the hanger bar 25a. The chair clamp 25 and the bushing 24 areentrapped between the barrel flange 26 of barrel 21, the retainer 27,and annular Belleville spring washer means 28 in the form of opposedring Belleville spring washers 29 and 30 which nest in recess 31 formedbetween retainer ring 27 and base 32 of threaded end nut ring portion 33of barrel nut 34 threaded on the threaded reduced annular end part 35 offixed jaw barrel sleeve 23. A further retainer ring 36 in cutout 31cooperates with retainer 27 in entraining spring unit 28.

A Belleville spring-containing tubular sealed cartridge 37 is stowed inthe barrel sleeve bore 22 between the inner flat end 37a of shaftportion 20 on the inner end 38 of the bore 22 and the inner end 39 ofthe threaded Belleville spring compression or load adjusting stud 40.The stud 40 is threadably adjustable in threaded bore 41 of the outerreduced end portion 42 of the nut 34. A set screw 43 in the threadedvertical bore 44 in nut ring portion 33 threadingly engages threads ofreduced end 35 to prevent rotation of nut 34 once it is adjusted inposition on threaded end 35 of the fixed jaw member 6. The stud 40- isprovided with an outer turning nut head 45 at its free outer end and isprovided with a locking nut 46 and an associated keyed lock washer 47intermediate its outer end and disposed against the outer face 48 of thereduced end portion 42 of the nut 34. The desired extension of the stud40 into the sealed cartridge 37 is maintained by the nut 46 andassociated keyed lock washer 47. The cartridge 37 (see FIGS. 4 and 5)includes an annular tubular housing 49 which has welded thereto, asindicated by w, opposed outer end spring retaining rings 50 and 51.Since either ring 50 or 51 is identical, the spring cartridge can beinstalled in the clamp arrangement from either end of the cartridge.Each ring 50 or 5 l'is provided with an associated plain disc washer 52and each washer 52 bears against a respective end of an assembly of aplurality of Belleville spring units 53. Each of the plain disc washers52 closes a respective end of the cartridge. Each Belleville springassembly comprises two convex spring elements 54 and 55 spaced one overthe other and facing two similarly spaced spring elements 56 and 57 insimilarly bowed or convex relation with elements 54 and 55. Each springelement 54, 55, 56 or 57 comprises a spring-like member having an outerring portion 58 that is deflected or angled away from its flat orvertical axis and is provided with a central opening 59. When theadjusting stud 40 engages one of the washers 52 it permits compressionfor flattening of the various spring elements of the various Bellevillespring assemblies 53 so as to place a compression load on the movablejaw member 10.

The sealed cartridge housing 49 into which the spring washers 54, 55, 56and 57 are correctly assembled con- 5 sequently removes the necessity ofassembly at the ski site or on the job and prevents a possibility ofincorrect assembly that can create accidents. The flat shoulder 11of'flxed clamp 6 presses against the yielding bull wheel liner 7 andprevents the chair from swinging outwardly by centrifugal force as itcomes around the bull wheel 9. This eliminates the need for guard railswhich create wear and ultimate failure on the components which rubagainst the guard rail. This feature prevents ultimate failure and aresultant accident. The spring washer arrangement 28 is installed in thebarrel 21 of the fixed clamp 6 for the purpose of exerting tension orpressure against the end 60' of the chair clamp 25 in order to preventswinging of the chair 4, back and forth, in line with the cable 2. Thisfeature adds stability to the chair, particular in the presence of highwind. The cartridge housing 49 is provided with a window 60 for viewingand inspecting the spring washers to check for broken spring washers andproper installation of the washers.

The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and illustrate theinvention and the invention is not limited thereto, except insofar asthe appended claims are so limited, as those skilled in the art who havethe disclosure before them will be able to make modifications andvariations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An aerial rope tramway including a cable, an outer fixed cable clamp,an inner movable clamp, a chair connected to the outer clamp andresilient means for urging the movable clamp against said cable betweenthe fixed and movable clamps,

said outer clamp having a cable end including a knuckle means,

a bull wheel for driving the cable and including a resilient liner, saidliner having a surface means including'a concave surface means forreceiving and engaging the knuckle means of the outer clamp,

said knuckle means having an outer generally vertical flat surface andan upper generally partially horizontal and diagonal surface connectedto the upper end of said flat surface and extending in a slopeddirection upwardly and outwardlyv away from said surface means of saidresilient liner, and

said concave surface means of said resilient liner being complementaryto said flat and upper surfaces of said knuckle means for effectivelyrestraining the chair from swinging outwardly by centrifugal force as itcomes around the bull wheel during operation of said tramway. V

2. An aerial rope tramway including a passenger carrier means, a cableand a cable clamp assembly for attaching the passenger carrier means tothe cable and 60 glrive means including a bull wheel for driving thecasaid clamp assembly including an outer fixed cable clamp and an innermovable cable clamp, said outer fixed clamp having one portion includinga barrel means and a barrel flange about said barrel means and aresilient means,

said movable clamp being reciprocably disposed within the barrel meansof said fixed clamp and said fixed clamp having a second portion andsaid movable clamp being urged by said resilient means toward saidsecond portion of the fixed clamp for compressing the cable between saidfixed and movable clamps,

a passenger carrying means clamp connected to said passenger carriermeans and disposed about said barrel means and biasing means including aspring washer means disposed about said barrel means and engaging saidcarrying means clamp, and a ring nut means connected to said barrelmeans and en gaging said spring washer means for urging said carryingmeans clamp into tight engagement with said barrel flange of said fixedclamp.

3. An aerial rope tramway including a passenger carrier means, a cableand a cable clamp assembly for attaching the passenger carrier means tothe cable and drive means including a bull wheel for driving the cable,

said clamp assembly including an outer fixed cable clamp and an innermovable cable clamp,

said fixed clamp having a barrel portion having a bore and a portion ofthe movable clamp extendable in said bore,

resilient means within said bore urging said movable clamp toward saidfixed clamp,

a carrier means clamp surrounding the barrel portion,

adjusting means urging said resilient means into engagement with saidmovable clamp within said bore of the barrel portion, and

biasing means surrounding the barrel portion in a cutout portion of thebarrel portion and engaging with and urging the carrier means clamptoward a flange at the other end of the barrel portion for fixing thecarrier means clamp against rotational movement about the barrelportion.

1. An aerial rope tramway including a cable, an outer fixed cable clamp,an inner movable clamp, a chair connected to the outer clamp andresilient means for urging the movable clamp against said cable betweenthe fixed and movable clamps, said outer clamp having a cable endincluding a knuckle means, a bull wheel for driving the cable andincluding a resilient liner, said liner having a surface means includinga concave surface means for receiving and engaging the knuckle means ofthe outer clamp, said knuckle means having an outer generally verticalflat surface and an upper generally partially horizontal and diagonalsurface connected to the upper end of said flat surface and extending ina sloped direction upwardly and outwardly away from said surface meansof said resilient liner, and said concave surface means of saidresilient liner being complementary to said flat and upper surfaces ofsaid knuckle means for effectively restraining the chair from swingingoutwardly by centrifugal force as it comes around the bull wheel duringoperation of said tramway.
 2. An aerial rope tramway including apassenger carrier means, a cable and a cable clamp assembly forattaching the passenger carrier means to the cable and drive meansincluding a bull wheel for driving the cable, said clamp assemblyincluding an outer fixed cable clamp and an inner movable cable clamp,said outer fixed clamp having one portion including a barrel means and abarrel flange about said barrel means and a resilient means, saidmovable clamp being reciprocably disposed within the barrel means ofsaid fixed clamp and said fixed clamp having a second portion and saidmovable clamp being urged by said resilient means toward said secondportion of the fixed clamp for compressing the cable between said fixedand movable clamps, a passenger carrying means clamp connected to saidpassenger carrier means and disposed about said barrel means and biasingmeans including a spring washer means disposed about said barrel meansand engaging said carrying means clamp, and a ring nut means connectedto said barrel means and engaging said spring washer means for urgingsaid carrying means clamp into tight engagement with said barrel flangeof said fixed clamp.
 3. An aerial rope tramway including a passengercarrier means, a cable and a cable clamp assembly for attaching thepassenger carrier means to the cable and drive means including a bullwheel for drIving the cable, said clamp assembly including an outerfixed cable clamp and an inner movable cable clamp, said fixed clamphaving a barrel portion having a bore and a portion of the movable clampextendable in said bore, resilient means within said bore urging saidmovable clamp toward said fixed clamp, a carrier means clamp surroundingthe barrel portion, adjusting means urging said resilient means intoengagement with said movable clamp within said bore of the barrelportion, and biasing means surrounding the barrel portion in a cutoutportion of the barrel portion and engaging with and urging the carriermeans clamp toward a flange at the other end of the barrel portion forfixing the carrier means clamp against rotational movement about thebarrel portion.